Pillsbury Mine Overlook — a scenic viewpoint in Saint Louis County, Minnesota at about 478 m (1,568 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Chisholm, about 2.2 km (1.4 mi) away (Pillsbury Mine Overlook lies SW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pillsbury Mine Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 53° NE | 9:13 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 AM | 125° SE | 4:24 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 26m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:21 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:45 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:22 PM | 8h 52m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 17m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 37m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:19 PM | 15h 07m |
| June | 4:34 AM | 5:15 AM | 6:03 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:52 PM | 15h 57m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:17 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:44 PM | 15h 35m |
| August | 5:35 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 17m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:56 PM | 10h 55m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 20m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:46 AM | 3:29 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:58 PM | 8h 28m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Pillsbury Mine Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | 5:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:46 AM – 4:26 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:45 AM – 3:05 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:16 AM – 2:06 AM | 1.8 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:47 PM – 1:07 AM | 1.3 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:30 PM – 11:00 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.09 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (74%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 39 | 45 | 75 | 77 | 87 | 90 | 101 | 96 | 91 | 79 | 67 | 43 |
| Low °F | -45 | -35 | -36 | 4 | 22 | 32 | 41 | 37 | 24 | 8 | -9 | -36 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this scenic viewpoint
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Pillsbury Mine Overlook, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pillsbury Mine Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Pillsbury Mine Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pillsbury Mine Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pillsbury Mine Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pillsbury Mine Overlook?
How far is Pillsbury Mine Overlook from Chisholm?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.